Victory
by 1Past and Present1
Summary: Friends and family celebrate. They survived.


"I've got you."

"I know." Shadow's eyes are closed not because of the fatigue. He allows himself to truly rest because he feels safe, here. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, my love. Just a bit, well, battered."

"Ha-ha."

"Indeed. And you? How're you holding up, handsome?"

"I'm fine, too."

"Good, good."

In a lower voice, he mutters, "Although your chest may smother me, yet."

"Oh, hush." Amused, Rouge sighs whilst drawing his body closer against hers, finding no resistance beyond his masculine little grunt of protest. "I'm comfy and you're warm. Let us be. It's nice."

"Perhaps."

"Bullshit. You're thoroughly enjoying this."

He smirks, listening to the steady, reassuring beat of her heart. Her warmth and scent remind him of their shared home in the city, which in turn reminds him of the luxuries she has helped him to acclimatise to over their shared years. Such as casual chats over meals, meditative bubble baths and liberating glasses of wine against the backdrop of uncounted sunsets. "And if someone should find us in this compromising state?"

"Let them think whatever they want. I don't care."

"That attitude will continue to get you into trouble."

"I've got you," she repeats simply, confidently, as if announcing the answer to everything. Seated in an awkward heap on some rubble, somewhere discrete and separate from the others, her cheek finds its place on his bowed forehead as she closes her eyes, too, fondly stroking the length of one of his bent quills. "You'll bail me out of most scrapes."

A dirtied, torn glove heavily settles on her shoulder, the strong fingers within gently curling into a soft squeeze of confirmation.

"You were reckless, back there."

"Ah, you know me better than that. I'm always reckless, everywhere!"

"Maybe I'm getting too old for your playful ways, then," Amy mutters, telling a blatant, tender lie as she tends to Sonic's scrapes. Her powerful body bends over him, bringing her green eyes close to his. "If not for my hammer, you'd be in worse shape than this, mister."

"Right. Good thing for your trusty hammer, then. Eh?"

"Good thing." She tries to stay focused as he smiles one of his dangerously charming smiles. She cannot stop the heated glow from rising to the surface of her supple skin, however valiant her efforts may be, tinting her muzzle a suitably rosy hue. The urge to kiss his cheek, let alone his treacherous lips, is very hard to resist.

Standing aside with powerful arms folded over a muscular breast, Knuckles rolls his amethyst gaze away from the couple with some mixture of amusement and fatigue.

"Analysis – that tickles."

Tails chuckles good-naturedly, hands swiftly busy with performing simple repairs on Omega's massive frame, designed to withstand great punishment.

"Query – how is this sensation possible?"

"You. Are. So. Cool! And hot, of course! With the fireballs and the jumping and the way you kicked and punched and stuff and you were so fast, like, whoa!"

Somewhat at a loss as to how to respond to such enthusiastic praise, Blaze coyly accepts Tangle's proffered flexible limb, inviting an equally enthusiastic shake. "Thank you. You are also very impressive, my exuberant friend."

"I am?!"

"Of course. For someone with such a unique gift and skill, you do so frequently underestimate yourself."

The lemur makes some kind of muffled, delighted squealing sound at the back of her throat, bouncing in place, her expression one of pleasure so severe, it rivals pain.

"Are you alright?" the cat eventually asks after seconds of mutual staring, asking out of concern and affection, remaining confused.

"Better! I'm friends with the Resistance! This is the best!"

"Ah." A handsome, subtle upward curve of a soft mouth causes a mind to short-circuit again. "You're also part of the resistance, lest you forget."

"Still… getting used to it, honestly! Don't think I ever will, though!"

"You're as capable as any of us. We value you as a comrade and a friend."

"You do?!"

"Of course. We believe in you. You surely will get used to this, and I shall try my best to help you believe in yourself and acclimatise to such faith."

"Gaaah!"

"Admittedly, I do not understand this sound."

"Hug?!"

"Why, yes, I'd love to."

Silver, having finally summoned enough courage to approach the gentle, enigmatic Whisper with blushing and fumbled compliments, inwardly congratulates his friend as Blaze catches Tangle mid-leap. He then internally apologises when the cat loses her balance and falls, but congratulates her again for heroically sparing the lemur the brunt of impact.

"Smooth," remarks the wolf in her soft, kindly undertone, also baring witness to the scene.

"She has her ways," says the hedgehog, grinning boyishly. He is reminded of his own attempt at social interaction. "Um. As I was saying, though…"

Whisper has a very comforting way of rendering her strong, noble countenance as somehow harmless. Evidently she does this for the benefit of not only the Wisps that happily surround her, but as a means of alleviating Silver's bashfulness as well. He's actually very cute, she thinks. Not that she'd say it aloud.

He thinks she's cute, too. But he faces the similar dilemma of silence.

"Boys, we're goin' out for dinner, tonight."

"But we've got, like, no money, dude."

"Darn. Another unpaid job." Vector scratches his snout, allowing Charmy to ride his thickset neck without being shooed away. "In all this celebratin'… I forgot."

"Tsk. And the rent's due, too."

"Stop remindin' me of depressin' stuff, kid. Sheesh. Gonna give me grey scales too damn soon."

"Hey, father figure, I'm the one who should complain, here. How deprived my childhood must be, for my young mind to ponder our pecuniary woes." The bee says this whilst tugging on the crocodile's chain and rocking back and forth, as if imitating a cowboy trying to break a particularly unruly horse. Evidently untroubled and very enriched.

"Fret not." Espio calmly regards the desolation left behind, Eggman having escaped sometime during the battle. "I'll prepare something special with whatever's left in the cupboards."

"Somethin' special, huh?"

"Well. We won't starve, at least."

"Ya know your way 'round a kitchen, old pal. That much I can say."

The chameleon's impenetrable façade shatters as a massive finger strokes his arm.

"That, and thanks, ya lifesaver."

"You are…" Bright eyes flicker warmly, filled with emotion. "Welcome."

The men share a smile that communicates much.

"Ooh! Ahem. Espio and Vector, sitting in a–"

"Shuddup, Charmy."

"But I've been practicing!"


End file.
